Gas Prices and Alternative Energy

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Once again gas prices are rising. This is a result of changing supply and demand. As uncertainty about mideast oil supplies grows, oil companies are raising prices just as people are beginning to drive more with the end of winter. $3.52 is the average price per gallon nationally as of this moment. This is a record for this time of year. As prices go up, costs for everything will go up due to increasing transportation costs, and that would not be good for our country in the short run. In the long run, increasing gas prices will make alternative energy sources more price-competitive, and as more alternatives come online and find a market, prices should go down. So, what can be done ? Should we subsidize gas prices to keep them low- or allow them to rise with the market ? Decreasing demand will cause prices to decrease. How are these prices affecting your family ? What can individuals do ?